Rio de Janeiro Hikes: The 11 Best Climbs

1.Pedra do Telégrafo Hike and Beach Full-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 417 reviews · 4 hours - 390 minutes · from $56Our pick

Hike with a guide such as Dayvison, Erick, Nicolas, or Felipe to Pedra do Telégrafo, a famous photo rock above Rio’s wild western beaches. Expect a steep, roughly one-hour climb, sweeping views, air-conditioned transport, and time to swim or eat at Grumari or Prainha Beach.

“The activity was a lot of fun!! My friend and I were definitely struggling with the hike at first but Sergio always made sure to wait for us. I also love that they let us take a lot of photos at the end of the hike.”

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2.Pedra da Gávea 7-Hour Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 183 reviews · 8 hours · from $56

Take on Pedra da Gávea with a certified guide such as Eduardo, Lucas, or Sergio. You’ll hike through Tijuca National Park, use ropes at the Carrasqueira, and reach an 840-meter summit with sweeping views of Rio. The trail is difficult, shaded in places, and best for fit hikers comfortable with heights and hands-on scrambling.

“The hike was super fun and technical. Edu our guide is seriously like a professional photographer. He was able to capture some of the best photos of my life!!!”

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3.Dois Irmãos Peak Sunrise, Day or Sunset Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 94 reviews · 3h 30m · from $54

Meet your guide at Vidigal’s blue steps and ride a moto-taxi to the trailhead before a moderate, one-hour climb through forest to Dois Irmãos Peak. Choose a 3:20 AM sunrise, 10:00 AM daytime, or 3:30 PM sunset start. Guides such as Milena, Nat, Nathalia, and Thaina add local context and help with photos.

“I recently had the pleasure of going on an unforgettable tour in Rio, which involved a hike, watching a breathtaking sunset, and a fascinating tour of a local favela. The experience was made all the more amazing by our guide, Nathalia. Nathalia was incredibly knowledgeable, providing detailed insights into the history, culture, and daily life of Rio, the favela, and the surrounding areas. She was not only punctual but also made sure we were comfortable throughout the entire experience. It was clear she had a deep respect and understanding of the local community, which made the favela tour feel authentic and meaningful. Her fluency in multiple languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese,…”

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4.Pedra da Gávea Guided Hike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 86 reviews · 8 hours · from $68

Spend about eight hours hiking Pedra da Gávea with a small group of up to 10 people and a bilingual guide in English, Spanish, or Portuguese. Expect steep forest walking, rock-climbing sections with certified gear, stories about local myths, and broad views of Rio. Hotel pickup is available in the city’s tourist zone.

“The tour we took was amazing. Sergio was a great guide, he provided us with a lot of interesting stories about Rio, and Brazil. He was also very helpful on the hike itself, and made us feel 100% safe throughout the whole hike.”

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5.Tijuca National Park Small-Group Hike to Pedra Bonita

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 79 reviews · 5 hours · from $63

Ride from Rio’s South Zone into Tijuca National Park for a five-hour guided hike to Pedra Bonita, a 696-meter summit with views of Pedra da Gávea and the coast. English and Portuguese guides, including Tito, Alex, and Eddie, explain the forest, coffee farms, wildlife, and Rio’s past.

“Great half day trip - funny guide Alex. Collected on time & lots of information given & time for photoes.”

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6.Trail and Rappel on Morro Dois Irmãos

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 77 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $85Top rated

Meet in Vidigal, ride by van or motorcycle taxi to the trailhead, and hike for about 50 minutes to Morro Dois Irmãos. At the summit, an accredited guide sets up your rappel, explains each step, and takes photos from strong viewpoints. William is one guide praised for patient encouragement. The group is limited to eight people.

“The guide, scenery, and rock climbing were absolutely awesome!! Both drives, up and down the hill, on moto were a nice addition too.”

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7.Garganta do Céu and Waterfall hike in Pedra da Gávea

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 71 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $58

Meet your accredited guide at Estrada Sorimã in Barra da Tijuca for a roughly four-hour hike through Tijuca National Park. The route climbs for nearly two hours to Garganta do Céu, with views of Christ the Redeemer, Pedra da Gávea, Rio’s southern beaches, and a refreshing stop at Sorimã Waterfall. Small groups are limited to 10 people.

“This was a very challenging hike for me. Took me 2hrs going up. Rugged terrain with lots of rocks. Ron Beulah is an excellent guide and truly helped to make sure that I got up and down without incident. There were 3 tourists & 1 guide. If you have any major health issues or are out of shape do not do this hike! You need at least 2 liters of water and snacks. It was very rewarding and satisfying to see the monkeys and tropical forests. I’d do it again since I’m aware of the level of difficulty.”

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8.Pedra da Gavea Guided Hiking tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 71 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $70

Spend about eight hours hiking from Tijuca National Park to Pedra da Gávea with a guide and a maximum of six people. Expect steep forest trails, the Carrasqueira rock section, rope-assisted descent, monkeys, and wide views of Rio, including Christ the Redeemer. Guides such as Sergio, Lucas, Didi, Luiz, and Eduardo have led this route.

“Our guide was Eduardo. He « practiced «  his English with us , as he said. He spoke English good enough for us to understand everything he tried to communicate. His pace was good, and we managed to keep up with him! We’re an older couple... we lucked out as we were the only hikers that day on that tour . It was definitely a challenge but loved it. He does a loop hike instead of an out and back which makes it more interesting. Unfortunately we didn’t make it to the top as clouds and rain started as we got to the cave. Still had a few great view points…”

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9.Half Day Hiking Tour Morro Dois Irmaos and Favela Vidigal

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 65 reviews · from $53Best value

Join Fernando and the Marca na Agenda team for a 4 to 5-hour hike from Vidigal to Morro Dois Irmaos. Ride a local motorcycle taxi, walk through the reserve, see Rocinha and Rio’s famous peaks, then descend through Vidigal’s streets. Sunrise departures are available, with photos included and food and drinks extra.

“Fernando is a Star. This is the best tour in South America that I have done thus far (travelled ~5 months over multiple years throughout South America). My partner and I took this tour for the sunrise option and the views are absolutely stunRead more”

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10.Discover Pedra do Telégrafo: Scenic Hike with Expert Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 8 hours · from $68

Join an English, Portuguese, or Spanish speaking guide for an eight hour trip from Rio to Pedra do Telégrafo. You’ll hike 3.5 km through Atlantic forest, pause for views of wild beaches and Pedra da Gávea, then pose at the famous optical illusion rock. Guide Gustavo has been praised for his patient pace and helpful photos.

“Very good , well paced thanks to the considerate guide who kept encouraging me until I reached the top , he even took nice photos up there .”

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11.Pedra Bonita & Tijuca Forest Hike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $110

Spend four hours hiking Pedra Bonita and Agulhinha da Gávea in Tijuca National Park. A bilingual guide leads your small group to the hang-gliding ramp and viewpoints over Pedra da Gávea, Barra da Tijuca, São Conrado, and Morro Dois Irmãos. Hotel pickup is available from supported hotels in Rio’s tourist zone.

“The guide was fantastic, made the whole experience a day to remember”

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